Wow – the inaugural Twin Cities Veg Fest is only a few days away! Can you believe how quickly the weeks are flying by? I know I can’t! As we continue to towards the big day, we will be bringing you more interviews with speakers, volunteers, and sponsors. Today I have an interview with volunteer, Patrick Tullo, for you – enjoy!

CAA: What is your role on the Veg Fest team?

I’ve had a minor role in helping to recruit speakers and exhibitors. Mostly, I provide legal advice and draft legal text for the event’s website and materials.

Can you feel the excitement growing for the first ever Twin Cities Veg Fest? I know I can! This week we are lucky enough to have the Executive Director of Compassionate Action for Animals with us, Unny Nambudiripad.

CAA: What is your role on the Veg Fest team?

Hi Ashley, I’m the Executive Director of Compassionate Action for Animals, the organization hosting this event. As the director and sole staff of CAA, it’s my responsibility to make sure that all of our programs and events — including the Veg Fest — are planned according to our mission and core values and to facilitate the volunteers and funding necessary to make them successful. I provide the committee members with resources on using our technology, coordinating volunteers, finding supplies, and raising funds.

CAA: What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I like swimming in the lakes, playing cards with my family, square dancing, sharing tasty and healthy food with friends, and singing loudly (and out of tune) while I bike all around town. I also like transportation policy, worrying about what I forgot to do today, Harry Potter, and superheroes. [ed: best response ever to this question.]

CAA: How did you get involved in planning the Veg Fest?

We’ve been talking about doing something like this for well over a decade and for a few years we had planned a conference (Their Lives, Our Voices). I wanted more of our time spent on activities that reach a wider audience. The conference attracted a couple hundred people, but I know that this festival can attract thousands. We need a lot more folks paying closer attention to how their food choices impact the treatment of animals, and this seemed like a strategic way to get the word out. We started planning in August and have been gaining steam since then!

The question I ask myself every day is: what’s going to help animals the most? It’s hard to be very certain, but I have a few ideas. This event will address the area where humans exploit animals the most: animal agriculture. Also, every day people sit down and decide what to eat and that decision has a huge impact on farmed animals. We want to help people make compassionate choices for farmed animals and the Twin Cities Veg Fest will empower people by educating them about how animals are treated, by giving them inspiration and resources, and also to see that there are many other folks who care about animals and want to make kind choices. This is why I want to plan the Veg Fest.

CAA: What have you enjoyed the most so far?

It’s been fun working with the committee. They’ve been motivated, consistent, and have a great sense of humor. They’re quite good looking (if you look at them from the right angle). I also like that we’ve been getting more attention for this event from the media, from acquaintances, and from strangers than we usually do.

CAA: What are you most looking forward to at the Veg Fest?

I’m looking forward to getting feedback after the event that says one of two things: 1) Thanks so much for putting this event on. I had a great time and learned so much and I am going to try to eat more plant-based foods, or 2) I want to get involved to help animals!

I’ve been advocating for animals for 15 years and I see this event, and all I do, as steps along the way to change how farmed animals are treated. Sometimes it’s hard to see the progress, but I stay positive because I know that’s what’s needed to be successful. I hope that this event will bring more people into the animal advocacy movement.

CAA: Who/what species is you favorite animal?

I like cows! I was around cows a lot as a kid when visiting my grandparents in India. They are serene and gentle. I aspire to be as serene as they are.

Thanks so much Unny for taking the time to share your knowledge and passion with us as we gear up for the Veg Fest! Inspired to help out? Check out our Volunteer page for more info on how you can get involved!

Another day closer to the Twin Cities Veg Fest, another informative and fun interview with one of our volunteers! Today we have Shannon from Bridges of Respect with us to discuss his role in the Veg Fest planning!

CAA: What is your role on the Veg Fest team?

I’ve been working with various companies and organizations that are having booths at Veg Fest. As the Exhibitor Logistics Coordinator I’ll be organizing set-up and making sure exhibitors have everything they need. I’ll also be one of the speakers at the Fest.

CAA: What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I’m an artist and try to combine art with activism. I also do a lot of camping, kayaking, and Netflix.

CAA: How did you get involved in planning the Veg Fest?

The potential of Veg Fest to illuminate the benefits of vegetarianism to a broad audience got me on board right away. I’ve helped out with many different events hosted by Compassionate Action for Animals over the years and I’m the program coordinator for our humane education program: Bridges of Respect.

CAA: What have you enjoyed the most so far?

Watching the Veg Fest committee bring together all of the specifics is awe-inspiring. I’m positive this is going to be a great event for everyone!

CAA: What are you most looking forward to at the Veg Fest?

The food of course! I’m also pretty excited to see Erica Meier’s presentation.

CAA: Who/what species is you favorite animal?

That is a difficult question, but I’m going to have to say Bat Cat the Feline Avenger. My wife and I brought him home from the shelter I worked at 13 years ago and he manages to brighten each of our days. We call him BC for short.

Thanks so much Shannon for taking the time to talk with us! Still want to get involved? Visit our volunteer page for more info!

Today’s Veg Fest interview is with Dave Rolsky, one of the founders of Compassionate Action for Animals and the Veg Fest Committee Chair. Dave gives us a glimpse into the event and let’s us get to know him a little better. Dave is an integral part of TC Veg Fest and I had a great time talking with him about his role in the event.

CAA: What is your role on the Veg Fest team?

I’m the Veg Fest Committee Chair. I’m responsible for the whole thing, which really means I try to get everyone else to do the work so I don’t have to. So far this has worked very well, which is a testament to all the great volunteers on the committee.

I also did a lot of the setup work for this website, as I’m the resident geek at Compassionate Action for for Animals. Finally, I’ll be speaking at the festival on the topic of how to get active for animals.

CAA: What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

As I mentioned, I’m a geek, so I actually spend a fair amount of my free time programming, in addition to the programming that I do for my day job. I like playing video games way too much and I’m an avid reader.

I also enjoy hanging out with my lovely wife, eating delicious vegan food (especially desserts), and going to concerts, both classical and popular. Recently we saw the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra perform an amazing percussion concerto by James McMillan.

CAA: How did you get involved in planning the Veg Fest?

We’ve talked about doing a Veg Fest for several years now. I was involved in planning the Their Lives, Our Voices conferences in 2008, 2009, and 2010. This year, when discussing whether to do the conference again, I pushed for us to do a Veg Fest instead. So I guess I got involved by being the one to push for doing it in the first place.

CAA: What have you enjoyed the most so far?

This event has generated a lot of excitement from our volunteers and people in the community who we’ve talked about. It will be one of CAA’s biggest ever events in terms of attendance (if we do it right), so I’m really excited about it. I’ve also really enjoyed working with the volunteers on the committee. This is one of the best volunteer groups I’ve worked with. I don’t have to nag anyone to get their tasks done, which is great.

CAA: What are you most looking forward to at the Veg Fest?

As an attendee, it’s all about the food for me. I’m really excited that one of my favorite local chefs, Petrina from Asase Yaa, will be selling food. She used to have a restaurant years ago and the food was amazing. She also catered Their Lives, Our Voices one year to great acclaim.

As an organizer, I’m most looking forward to seeing lots of people learn about vegan food, animals, and factory farming.

As a speaker, I’m most looking forward to people actually coming to my presentation. Or maybe I’m most afraid that they won’t!

CAA: Who/what species is you favorite animal?

I’ll do what Amber did, and answer this twice. When it comes to companion animals, I’m definitely a cat person. I grew up with cats in the house, and one of my best friends for a long time was my cat Samantha. Unfortunately, I’m quite allergic to cats so I can’t have them living with me these days. I love to play with other people’s cats, as long as I wash my hands before I touch my face!

For farmed animals, I really love pigs. They’re such fun, friendly, social animals. They’re quite adorable.

Thanks Dave for taking the time to do this interview and don’t forget to mark your calendars for July 14th!

Is everyone getting excited for the inaugural Twin Cities Veg Fest? I know I am! As we continue to inch closer to the big day we will keep bringing you interviews with volunteers and sponsors so you can get an inside look at all of the preparation going into the fest.

Today’s interview is with volunteer EG Nelson – enjoy!

What is your role on the Veg Fest team?

Photo copyright © Emma Freeman Photography 2011

I started helping with looking for sponsors, exhibitors, vendors and raffle donors. I have also helped get media sponsors/earned media (CityPages & Veg News). I’ll also be baking a bunch of cupcakes for the kids area through my quasi-legitimate vegan bakery, Hay Gurl Hay Café (facebook.com/haygurlhaycafe).

CAA: What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

Baking, biking, workouts, queer performances, reading, and playing outside.

CAA: How did you get involved in planning the Veg Fest?

I was just so awesome from the Their Lives, Our Voices conference that CAA asked me to help out. I didn’t have a job then so I was able to be waaaay more useful than I am now though!

CAA: What have you enjoyed the most so far?

It’s exciting to get new people to sign up and support the event.

CAA: What are you most looking forward to at the Veg Fest?

Lots and lots of free samples!

CAA: Who/what species is you favorite animal?

My cat Stan is the best animal ever, hands down!

Thanks EG for taking the time to give us some insight into the event! Look for more interviews each week with the people closest to the event and don’t forget to mark your  calendars for July 14th!

This is the first in a series of interviews with people involved with the upcoming Twin Cities Veg Fest! We’ll be featuring interviews with volunteers, sponors, and vendors each week leading up to the exciting 1st annual TC Veg Fest this Summer.

Today’s interview is with volunteer, Amber Buening. We asked Amber a few questions to help us get to know her a little better and to find out what her role in the Veg Fest is. See her responses below:

CAA: What is your role on the Veg Fest team?
Amber: I’m the Veg Fest Volunteer Coordinator.

CAA: What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Amber:I like watching movies, reading, cooking (and trying new vegan recipes), trying new restaurants (especially veg-friendly ones), biking, running, traveling, and exploring new places!

CAA: How did you get involved in planning the Veg Fest?
Amber: Since I recently moved here (Sept. 2010) and recently became vegan (Summer 2011), I wanted to be more involved with CAA in general to meet other vegans/vegetarians and make some new friends with similar ideals! I thought helping to plan such a big event would be a great way to contribute to an amazing organization and meet lots of great people!

CAA: What have you enjoyed the most so far?
Amber: When Dave buys Pizza Luce for our meetings! Haha no, I enjoy meeting new people and getting to know like-minded volunteers, so that has been the best part for me so far 🙂

CAA: What are you most looking forward to at the Veg Fest?
Amber: The Veg Fest is going to be epically awesome! I really can’t wait. I think what I’m most looking forward to is seeing all the different vendors giving free samples to tons of attendees and introducing them to vegan choices that are easy to make.

CAA: Who/what species is you favorite animal?
Amber: Pugs are my favorite companion animals, and zebras are my favorite wild animals.

Thanks Amber for talking with Compassionate Action for Animals! We’ll be back next week with another interview, but until then be sure to check out our sponsorship and volunteer pages to find out how you can help make the TC Veg Fest a success!